Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
:Article One
:Definitions
The following terms, wherever mentioned in this Law, shall have the meanings
.attached to them
:Circulation (1)
Putting the printed material at the disposal of a number of people through free
distribution or presenting it for sale, fixing it to walls or displaying it on store
.facades or billboards or road signs and so forth
:Press (2)
.The profession of editing journalistic printed materials or their publication
:Journalist (3)
Anyone practicing journalistic editing as a profession, either on full-time or part-
.time basis
:Newspaper (4)
Any printed material with a fixed title, published periodically or on regular or
.irregular occasions, such as newspapers, magazines and brochures
:Printer (5)
.Anyone in charge of the printing press, whether the owner or his representative
:Bookstore (8)
A place prepared for the display of books, newspapers or the like for the purpose
.of sale or rent
:Distributor (9)
The mediator- an individual or a company- between the author or the publisher,
.the distribution centers and the beneficiary
:Author (10)
Anyone who prepares an academic, cultural or artistic material for the purpose of
.circulation
:Publisher (11)
Anyone in charge of issuing any academic, cultural or artistic production for the
.purpose of circulation
:Ministry (12)
The Ministry of Information
:Minister (13)
The Minister of Information
:Article Two
:The following activities shall be subject to the provisions of this Law
.Printed materials
.Preparation services before printing
.Printing press
.Bookstores
.Drawing and calligraphy
.Photography
.Import, sale or rent of films and video tapes
.Sound recordings and records
.Radio, television, movie or theatrical artistic production
.Television and radio studios
.Foreign media offices and their correspondents
.Publicity and advertisement
.Public relations
.Publication
.Distribution
.Press services
.Production, sale or rent of computer programs
.Information studies and consultations
.Copying and duplication
Any activity suggested to be added by the Ministry and
.approved by the President of the Council of Ministers
:Article Three
Of the objects of printed materials shall be the call to Islam, good moral standards,
guidance to all that is good and right, and the dissemination of culture and
.knowledge
: Article Four
It is not allowed to exercise any activity mentioned in Article Two, except by
permission of the Ministry, and this shall not exempt from obtaining any other
.license required by other laws
The Implementing Regulations shall determine the duration of the license for each
activity and specify the appropriate grace period for renewal of the license prior to
.its expiry after ensuring the licensee’s practice of the profession
:Article Five
With due consideration to the requirements of laws and agreements, the licensee
:shall satisfy the following
.Be a Saudi national
Not be less than twenty five years old. The Minister at his discretion may waive
.the age requirement
Be well-known for good conduct and behavior with regard to undertaking this
.activity
.Have an appropriate qualification as specified by the Implementing Regulations
.In case of companies, the previous conditions shall apply to their representatives
The Implementing Regulations shall specify the conditions necessary for the work
.of foreign media offices and their correspondents
:Article Six
Government bodies, educational and research institutions, academic associations,
literary and cultural clubs and private press establishments may publish non-
periodical printed materials in the field of their specialization and under their
.responsibility
:Article Seven
The fee of the license or its renewal for the headquarters or the branch shall be
:determined according to the following
:Two thousand riyals (2000) for any of the following activities
.Printing press
.Preparation services before printing
.Publication
.Distribution
.Radio, television, or movie artistic production
.Television and radio studios
.Information studies and consultations
.Press services
.Publicity and advertisement
.Public relations
.Import, sale or rent of films and video tapes
.Production sale, or rent of computer programs
:Article Eight
Freedom of expression is guaranteed through all means of publication within the
.provisions of Shari’ah and law
:Article Nine
:For approval, the printed material shall observe the following
.Not be in violation of the provisions of Shari’ah
Not lead to jeopardizing the country’s security or its public order or serve foreign
.interests in conflict with national interest
.Not lead to inciting feuds and spreading dissension among citizens
Not lead to encroachment on people’s dignity and freedom or to their extortion or
.defaming them or their trade names
.Not lead to encouraging crime or its incitement
.Not be detrimental to the country’s economic or health status
Not disclose facts of investigations or trials, unless permitted by the competent
.authority
Be committed to objective and constructive criticism leading to public good,
.based upon true facts and evidence
:Article Ten
All printed materials within the Kingdom shall have the necessary bibliographical
.data, as specified by the Implementing Regulations
:Article Eleven
The license may be assigned, rented or shared with others after approval of the
.Ministry, pursuant to the provisions of this Law
:Article Twelve
If the licensee dies, the heirs shall notify the Ministry within two months of the
date of death. They have the right to continue the activity after the Ministry’s
.approval, pursuant to the provisions of this Law
:Article Thirteen
Any author, publisher, printer or distributor desiring to print or distribute any
printed material shall provide the Ministry with two copies for approval before
printing or circulation. The Ministry shall approve the printed material or reject it,
giving the reasons for rejection within thirty days. The party concerned may file a
.grievance with the Minister against the rejection decision
:Article Fourteen
Every printing press shall keep a record of all materials printed therein. The
record shall be declared to the authorized personnel upon request, and the
Ministry may, through the Implementing Regulations, exempt any printed
.material from the record requirement
:Article Fifteen
The author, publisher and printer are responsible for any violation in the printed
material if printed or set for circulation without approval, and if it is not possible
to identify either of them, the distributor shall be held responsible. Otherwise, the
.responsibility shall fall upon the seller
:Article Sixteen
The Ministry shall demand the author or the publisher, according to the deposit
system, to submit the copies required for deposit of whatever is printed inside the
.Kingdom
:Article Seventeen
Advertisement and publicity materials shall not be added to films, tapes or the like
on which artistic or sports materials are recorded and for which contracts are
concluded for their use in the Kingdom, except through local advertisement and
publicity establishments or companies and after approval by the Ministry. The
Implementing Regulations shall determine the duration period of advertisements
.in every work
:Article Eighteen
Foreign printed materials shall be approved if they are free of any thing offensive
to Islam or the system of government, detrimental to the high interest of the State,
.or in violation of public decency and morals
:Article Nineteen
Foreign printed materials shall be approved or rejected with a statement of reasons
thereof within thirty days from the date of receiving the application. Papers shall
.be treated according to the Implementing Regulations
:Article Twenty
Every Saudi who publishes a non-periodical printed material outside the Kingdom
and submits an application to the Ministry for approval shall attach to his
application proof of deposit of the required copies, in accordance with the deposit
.system
Local Press